Past meets present
My fingers touch and trace a face on a photo
a memory muddling my mind and I think of
a time when the streets were injected with
innocence and lined with dwellings
build on dreams fragile as frail old ladies,
Light as a feather we moved through life
swayed like sunflowers in a summer breeze,
spilling wine, love and strawberry
kisses
We had no depth but darkness bore a hole,
a hole carved like a black barrel
I got blinded by the night, craving for
the light, leaving you behind
My soul became visible and the
wind called me towards a new
destiny where love lands like a flock of
birds spreading their wings in delight
of its gravity as I longed for lightness
These days I dip my fingers into honey
to sweeten your lips and whisper
words on paper, like Aroha, which
dances like a tender tango on my tongue
which takes off into the world,
to soften a spirit into serenity
How beautiful this poem is Marja. It is always good to visit New Zealand from across the Tasman.
ReplyDeleteSo full of beautiful imagery! Is that sadness at the end .. or acceptance?
ReplyDeleteAcceptance for sure :)
DeleteSweetly written.
ReplyDeleteI like the way your poem develops from ‘a memory muddling my mind’ through realisation to wisdom, Marja, an important process we all need to go through from time to time. I love the similes ‘dreams fragile as frail old ladies’ and ‘dances like a tender tango on my tongue’ (great use of alliteration!), and the way you describe the innocence of youth as ‘spilling wine, love and strawberry kisses’.
ReplyDelete“ … where love lands like a flock of birds spreading their wings in delight”. How beautifully descriptive and how wonderful if everyone suddenly felt that same sentiment for the world.
ReplyDeleteAge teaches us to appreciate the less obvious delights of life, and to make peace with some of the rashness of our youth.
ReplyDeleteI like the look back at innocence and what was. It sounds like you came to a good place in the end.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely collection of imagery, Marja. "Spilling wine, love and strawberry kisses" reminds me of summer and of one of my favorite songs, "Strawberry Wine". The "tender tango on my tongue" is a feast of sounds and movement.
ReplyDeleteOh your imagery is absorbing. Im caught in the stream of your poem being carried along helplessly
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday
Much💝love
Softening the spirit is a seemingly Herculean task, but it can be done with words of kindness, grace, and love.
ReplyDeleteLovely! This spills over with light and weightlessness before settling in to the sweet.
ReplyDeletePast with its innocence meets present with its lightness. In between there's wisdom with its gravity.
ReplyDeleteThese are stages that most of us go through in life.
This was a "tender tango on your tongue", well portraying the wisdom earned in a lifetime. Good write!
ReplyDeleteThis was so beautiful. thank you Marja. Good day to you.
ReplyDeleteexcellent poem with vivid imagery.
ReplyDeletei like what you said : "Today, the wisdom I gained lost some
of its gravity as I longed for lightness".
perhaps we have learned to let go.
I got blinded by the night... longed for lightness... so many images and dancing verbs!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Marja - delightful poem and words in this time of challenge ... Ahoha is so necessary for us all especially those who need the extra care. You have a wonderful way with words ... stay safe - Hilary
ReplyDeleteTen out of ten Marja! Such a delightful poem to read.
ReplyDeleteThis one has to be included in your next book.
Take care dear friend.
Namaste
Peggy
Sad but lovely.
ReplyDeleteSuperb imagery, did I detect a hint of sadness at the end?
ReplyDelete